New York City Settles Loitering Lawsuit

New York City will pay $15 million to settle a lawsuit brought on behalf of thousands of people charged with loitering years after the laws were declared unconstitutional.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the original eight plaintiffs will receive $25,000 each. But it said lawyers identified about 22,000 other people charged with loitering after the state laws were voided but remained on the books.

The lawsuit centered on three anti-loitering laws that were ruled unconstitutional between 1983 and 1993.

In 2010, a federal judge found the city in contempt for continuing to enforce the laws. The judge found the laws disproportionately targeted gay men and the poor.

The city said it was unfortunate that the statutes remained on the books for so many years after the laws were struck.